Vertical coil mounting reel



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Feb. 21, 1961 E. J. MclLvRll-:D

VERTICAL con. MOUNTING REEL Filed June l, 1956 INVENToR. f" f fav/,v J.nc/wr/ED BY M ri/MEM United States Patent VERTICAL conJ MOUNTING REELEdwin'J. Mcnvriea, no. Box 49, Cuyahoga Falls, ohio 'i VFiled June 1,1956, ser. No. 588,692

5 claims. (ci. 242-19) This invention relates as indicated to a novelreel struclture, and more particularly to a reel especially adapted hasmade them relatively clumsy and dicultto handle,

fboth when placing them on the pay-olf reel and during lthe drawingoperation when the relatively large mass of Athe rotating reel with itsload may attain considerable momentum.

`Reels have been employed arranged with verticalaxes so that the coil ofrod may be dropped down over the hub from above. As the size and weightof such coils increases, however, it becomes more and more diflicultVfor the operator to disengage the coil from the hook of the usualVlifting crane properly to drop the coil onto the reel.

It is accordingly an important object of my invention to` provide anovel reel adapted mechanically to assist in thedisengagement o f a coilof rod or the, like from a crane lifting hook so that such coil maydescend onto the supporting reel into position for subsequent pay-olfquickly.

Another object is to provide av modified crane hook particularly adaptedto cooperate with my new reel.

A further object is to provide reel mounting means and associatedmechanismv which will be actuated upon imposition of excessive tension`in the rod during a pay-off operation and may accordinglybe utilized tostop the operation until the trouble can bevcorrected.

Other objects of my invention will `appear ,as the de- ;v

scription proceeds. n v l l -To the accomplishment of v,the foregoingandA related ends, ,saidy inventionV then comprises theV features.herein- `after fully described and particularly pointed out in theclaims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forthin detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these beingindicative, however, of but -a few of the various ways in which theprinciple of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a reel embodying the principles of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of such reel with its foundationsupport in section and showing the manner in which the crane hook isemployed to deliver a coil of rod to such reel; and

Fig. 3 is a detailv view of the modified crane hook at right angles tothe Fig. 2 representation thereof.

Now referring more particularly to such drawing, I provide a stationaryreel having a square at steel plate base 1 having downwardly extendinganges such as 2 ice 2 tting within a corresponding recess or well 3 inthe oor vor foundation, such recess having a wider and deeper extension'4 at one side. Centrally positioned on and welded to'base plate 1'is acylindrical steel column 5 carrying a table or stand 6 in turnsupporting a tubular elbow 7Y which may, for example, be about 20 inchesin diameter and is adapted to receive and guide Athe coil of rod C downover column 5.

Eight radially arranged rollers 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 areinset in base plate 1 rotatably to support the coil of rod whichdescends thereon. A plurality of vertically disposed rollers such as 16closely surround column 5 to prevent frictional engagement of the coilwith such central column.

4Tubular elbow 7, the upper end portion of which is inclined atapproximately 45 from the vertical, is provided with a slot 17 extendinga substantial distance from its upper extremity to its inner endapproximately coaxial with column`5. The lower end of such tubularelbow, as shown in Fig. 2, will preferably be of a diameter at least asgreat as that of such column and vertical roller assembly. Innerparallel side wall members v18 may be welded on each side of such slotto extend the same inwardly of the tubular elbow 7 and such inner slotor well may be terminated by a cross-plate 19. A crane hook 20 adaptedto support the coil of rod C for transportationto the reel is modifiedby welding curved wings 21 and 22 to the respective sides thereof tolimit the extent:to which such hook can enter slot 17 as illustrated vinFig. 2 of the drawing, such slot being wide enough to accommodate thewidth ofthe hook proper. Accord- .ingly, the operator need merely guidethe crane so that the lower portion of hook 20 enters slot 17 with thecoil of rod C resting upon the upper inclined surface of elbow 7. Whenthe hook is lthereupon lowered, it will drop into slot 17, slot 17 beinglong enough to accommodate the tip of the hook when this occurs. Y Thewings on the hook prevent the hook from swinging any further toward thereel axis. Coil C, of course, is now free to slide down the elbow ontothe reel. 1

. Occasionally the coil of rod may tangle. or some other diiculty arisecausing some increase in tension in the rod being withdrawn for passageto a subsequent drawing machine or the like `(not shown), with resultantserious `between the outer lower angle of pit or recess 4 to the angleformed between base plate 1 and the corresponding downwardly extendingreinforcing flange 24. It will at once be apparent that if excessivetension is imposed upon `rod being withdrawn from a coil positioned onthe reel in a direction generally parallel to a line extending from theaxis of such reel to such lever 23, the entire base platform will bebodily shifted from right to left as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 and willalso be correspondingly tilted through the action of lever 23. A limitswitch 25 is mounted on a support somewhat spaced from base plate 1 andis held in normally open (or normally closed, as desired) position bycover plate 26 hinged at 27 and normally resting on base plate 1. Whensuch base plate is, however, tilted as above described, this serves torock cover plate 26 (which is itself a second platform) upwardly aboutits hinge 27 and thereby actuate limit switch 25 to energize appropriatecontrol means to stop the processing operation at the next station. Whenthe difficulty has been corrected, the base plate is returned to theposition illustrated and operations may resume. The limit switch may,for example, be in the circuit of the d rive motor of the wire drawingmachine or other means "actin-g to withdraw rod from the reel. It shouldbe spaced a sufficient distance from platform 1 to ensure that flange 24will not strile it or its support should the platform be so far shiftedbefore effective stoppage of the machine.

The horn or elbow may be boited to the top of the reel column at anydesired radial angle, as may be convenient in the shop,andrthisvfeatu're also perni-its the base platform to be turned A90" or180 when the bearings of rollers 416 become relatively more worn on theside away from lever 23. p

It will be seenfrom theforegoing that I have provided la novel pay-offreel for heavy bundles of rod and the like which is very simple to loaddespite the heavy weight of such bundles and which is safe and easy tostop inasmuch as there `is relatively little rotating mass in the reelitself and the entire reel is mounted for bodily shifting to actuatecontrol means in the event of a tangle.

Other modes of Aapplying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as `regards the details described, providedthefeatures stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent ofsuch be employed. n

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. A pay-off reel device for a coil of rod comprising a floor well, asquare steel base platform across said well resting upon theadjacent'floor, downwardly projecting flanges on the underside of saidplatform parallel to the side edges thereof and fitting closely -withinsaid Well on three sides, the fourth side of said well beingsubstantially outwardly spaced therefrom, a central vertical column onVsaid platform, a table Lon said column, alplurality of .verticallydisposed rollers rotatably mounted closely about said column to engagethe vinner periphery of a coil 'of rod encircling Vthe latter, laplurality of horizontal rollers rotatably mounted on said platformradially of said column to supportV a coil'of rod resting thereon, a-l-arge tubular elbow mounted on said table co-axially of -said columnand of va diameter at lits lower end at least as great `as that of saidcolumn vand vertical roller assembly, said elbow extending yupwardly andlaterally at an angle of approximately 45 .degrees to the vertical, aslot lin the upper side of said elbow extending from the outer endthereof to a point generally co-axial with said column, Avertical sidewall members for said slot within said elbow, a vertical cross-plateconnecting'said side wall members at`the inner end of said slot, levermeans angularly disposed in said well bearing at its lower end against abottom rangle of said fourth side of said well and at its upper endagainst the angle between the underside of said base platform and saidcorresponding downwardly projecting ange, a limit-switch adapted tocontrol the drive means of a wire drawing machine or the like mountedadjacent but spaced from the side edge of said platform toward saidlever, and a second platform covering the portion of said well notcovered by said base platform with one edge resting on said baseplatform and its opposite edge 4 hingedly mounted on said floor beyondsaid well, said second platform normally engaging said limit switch tohold the latter from its normal position, whereby excessive tension onrod being withdrawn from a coil on said reel in a direction generallytoward said lever will be effective to drag said platform along saidwell and to rock the leading edge thereof upwardly through action ofsaid lever to raise said second platform and actuate said limit switch.

2. A reel structure comprising a horizontal base, a central verticalcolumn about which Ia coil of rod is adapted to be placedresting on saidbase, and an elbow extending upwardly and laterally outwardly from saidcolumn and at an angle thereto .to guide a coil over said column, theupper side of said elbow having a slot therein extending from the outerend thereof toward the axis of said column adapted to receive the lowerportion vof a hook suspending such coil for loading on said reel. l v

'3. A reel having a vertical central column about which a coil isadapted to be placed, and an angularly disposed upward and laterallyoutward extension of said column adapted 'to guide such coil thereover,the upper side of said extension having a recess therein adapted toreceive a portion lof a coil supporting hook when the latter is loweredto deposit such col thereon.

4. The reel o'f claim 3 wherein said recess extends to vthe outer end ofsaid extension.

5. A pay-offire'el having a horizontal base Vplate and a centralvertical column-mounted thereon about which a coil of rod is adapted tobe placed, a well `adjacent one side ofsai'd base, lever means disposeddiagonally in said well pivotally engaging said base plate adjacent thenear side edge thereof with its lower end spacedv outwardly thereof, alimit switch for controlling thedrive means f associated rod processingmeans" or the like supported in'said well adjacent said near side edgeof said base plate, and a platform covering said well with one edgeresting onsaid bas'efplateV and its opposite edge hingedly mountedbeyond said well, said platform normally engaging said limit switch tohold the latter from its normal position, whereby excessive tension in'rod being withdrawnv from a coil n said reel ina direction generallytoward said lever means will be effective to drag said base plate inlschdirection .to rock said lever means to lift the leadingA edge of'saidplate upwardly and said hinged platform ,therewithand thus actuate saidVlimit switch.

ReferencesCited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

